So I just bought a house. Woo. But I know nothing about handy man stuff. Boo.

Below the roof soffit is a metal strip that had fallen or been wild-animal-peeled off which I knew from the inspection. Haven't rushed on it because frankly I don't know what to do and figured a few weeks won't hurt.

So, my question; it doesn't look like flashing to me because my understanding is flashing has a lip underneath something and a lip outside, this I believe just was placed in the corner of the soffit running along the wall/soffit crease to seal that crease from intrusion.

How do I place this back on; is it by nailing into studs? Screwing into studs? Taccing onto the siding? Caulking into place?

If it's not flashing, what is this strip called? Am I rambling nonsense to which that strip might be several different things and it's not clear from my description what it is?

1 Answer
1

Its just trim molding, to hide the cut edge of the soffit where it abuts the wall.

It should be re-attached for both appearance and critter protection. You can add some foam insulation, which will help seal the edge.

A bead of exterior caulk, then the molding, then another bead if there are any gaps in the molding-to-wall or molding-to-soffit,

Use 1" to 1 1/2" hot-dipped galvanized 4d finishing nails and try to hit structure underneath. If you are a tool hound, this would be a good time to get a small air compressor and an 18 ga finish nailer. Tell your wife you can inflate her tires and the kids basketballs/footballs. I've expanded from 18ga nailer to 15 ga nailer, crown stapler, 16d framing nailer and strip flooring nailer, all with the same pancake compressor.